Recently, I tested a bronzer for the first time in my career (which is definitely surprising since I spent most, if not all of my time, discovering and experimenting with products that can make a huge difference in a makeup look). As much as I loved the experience, I was left wondering why it took me so long to try it for myself after seeing countless examples of bronzed makeup looks on women who look like me: with Afrocentric features and a dark skin tone.
Without much to go off of and a growing interest in all things related to bronzers, I called in two of the makeup industry's biggest experts for some of their tips and tricks for creating sun-kissed, picture-ready makeup looks. If you're interested in learning more about product selection, application, and maximizing their usage, you'll want to keep scrolling.
1: How to Blend Bronzer
"Start with less [bronzer] and build more (it’s always easier to add than remove!) Blend, blend, blend," shares BareMinerals Global Makeup Artist and Educator Carly Giglio. "Choose a color that’s 1–2 shades deeper than your skin tone—stay within your undertone for a natural use of color. Use shimmering bronzers on the cheeks as opposed to shimmer on the hollow cheekbones (if you are using bronzer to create a soft sculpt keep it matte/soft matte)."
COMMON BLENDING MISTAKES
Out of all the common mistakes made by makeup novices, Giglio identifies three: selecting the wrong color for one's skin tone, applying too much of the product, and not blending enough.
HOW TO USE BRONZER WITH BLUSH
Bronzer, when used to add warmth to the skin tone, can even pair well with and compliment blush in many ways. An example is using bronzer as a sculpting product to hollow out the cheekbones, temples, chin, and jawline followed by sweeping blush across the cheeks and blending the two together for a seamless application.
BRONZER PLACEMENT
Another way Giglio recommends using bronzer is by using it to achieve the perfect sun-kissed look. "Placement for bronzer in this look is about applying where the sun would naturally hit (think about where you get the most color!) Cheeks, bridge of the nose, forehead, chin," begins Giglio. "Once you apply your bronzer there, sweep a touch of blush over top the cheeks to add that natural sun-kissed flush."
2: Use the Right Products + Tools
Another mistake people make when using bronzer? Failing to identify the formulas that work best and the tools to apply them with. Makeup artist and international educator Eddie Duyos reiterates Giglio's concerns when it comes to selecting the right shade for your skin tone, but adds something else to consider: using a cream bronzer. According to Duyos, "a cream allows ease of use and if you make a mistake by adding too much or choosing the wrong shade, it’s much easier to correct or adjust by blending it out or adding a different shade." Since bronzers tend to read too orange or yellow, selecting a product with the same undertone as your natural skin can help you avoid the "muddy skin" look.
To apply bronzer, Duyos recommends investing in a sot Kabuki-style brush, as it's the best tool when working with powder and cream formulas. "A brush that is too stiff, too dense, or too flat can deposit too much product," Duyos explains. "A softer brush gives that 'kissed by the sun' finish rather than a dense application of color to the skin." Who wouldn't want to achieve a natural-looking, even-toned finish to your makeup look?
3. Take Notes From the Pros
Like any makeup artist who has spent their career experimenting with different products to create looks for their extensive list of clientele, both Giglio and Duyos are partial to particular bronzers and tools that bring their work to life. "I love using BareMinerals' All-Over Face Color in Loose Warmth (warmer shade) or Faux Tan (cooler shade)—they apply and blend effortlessly and you get so much product out of the mineral pigments," says Giglio about her favorite mineral-based bronzer. She layers this with the brand's best-selling Gen Nude Bronzer, a hybrid blush, and bronzer, for additional radiance. Giglio's tool of choice when applying these bronzers are fluffy brushes with tapered ends which give the user more control while blending and buffing for seamless application.
As you would have probably guessed, Duyos' go-to products to create bronzed makeup looks are cream bronzers. His go-to bronzer is the new Make Up For Ever HD Skin Sculpting Palette, with two shades for contouring and four highlighters all crafted from a cream-based formula for buildable coverage. "It includes some of my favorite warm shades for bronzing," he enthuses. "These shades are ideal for that sun-kissed look that still looks like skin."
If you're in the mood to discover other bronzers we've been loving lately (and shop Giglio and Duyos' previously mentioned favorites to work with), we recommend you keep scrolling. Warning: There's a good chance you may never leave the house again without a quick and effective swipe of bronzer. I know it's true for me!
Expert Picks for Sun-Kissed Makeup Looks
When one makeup product combines a rosy blush with a bronzer for a sun-kissed glow, you know you're in good hands. It smoothes and minimizes the appearance of imperfections while adding a luminous and even-toned finish.
This easy-to-use cream face palette will give you a flawlessly sculpted look with two contour shades and four highlighters. Lasting for up to twelve hours, this palette is a must-have for anyone needing buildable coverage and a radiant finish.
Want to use your bronzer like a pro? It's time to invest in a makeup brush that can make it happen. Both Duyos and Giglio recommend using a brush with a tapered end (like this one from BareMinerals), or a Kabuki-style brush when working with bronzers that have powder or cream formulas.
Shop Editor-Approved Bronzer Favorites
This Hourglass bronzing palette features three light-catching shades of Ambient Lighting Powder to capture, diffuse, and soften the reflection of light. In addition to camouflaging imperfections, the powder filters out harsh light on the skin while creating a soft-focused and luminescent appearance.
This ultra-soft and smooth-pressed powder delivers a shimmering glow that rivals the natural appearance of the sun on the skin using a blend of sheer powders and micro pearls. Its formula also features sheer mica powder and flat pearls to reflect light to give the skin a glowing finish.
Who What Wear editors are notorious fans of Patrick Ta's makeup line. This contour and bronzer duo continues the brand's legacy with a palette that allows its user to effortlessly shape and define the face with a light cream shade for definition and a talc-free powder to add warmth.
Nars' decadent, creamy bronzer echoes from the brand's best-selling shade Laguna and features a key ingredient no other bronzers mentioned so far on this list has: Monoï de Tahiti oil. It helps lock in, set, and visibly tone the complexion for a natural-looking bronzed look.
If you were wondering which bronzer ended up being my first, this Chanel bronzing cream was it. As much as I love its creamy, easy-to-work-with formula, this bronzer would work best with lighter skin tones (the product is offered in two shades: Soleil Tan Bronze Universel and Soleil Tan Deep Bronze).
This weightless cream bronzer from Anastasia Beverly Hills is definitely on my list to add to my makeup collection now that I know how to work with bronzer. Because of its matte nature, this creates the perfect amount of warmth while also gripping to the skin to make you look even more wearable and long-lasting.
Looking for a bronzing product that you can use to create a soft-sculpt contour finish? This creamy balm bronzer by Saie is packed with skin-loving ingredients including colloidal oatmeal, grapeseed oil, and elderberry extract to hydrate, soothe, and nourish the skin.
Refillable products are ridiculously buzzy right now (and for a good reason). This bronzer, for example, is features a refillable compact in addition to a pressed powder formula infused with hyaluronic acid and micro-fine perfecting powders so you can achieve that smooth, natural-looking bronzed makeup look.
Milk Makeup's award-winning matte cream bronzer builds and blends effortlessly without all the extra steps it takes to create a bronzed look. It's also packed with ingredients to boost hydration and nourish the skin with the use of mango and apricot extract.
If you're a fan of bronzer sticks, you'll want to get your hands on this one my Merit. It's both sheer and buildable, lending to a wash of natural-looking warmth and dimension while avoiding a reliance on too much product. I especially love how easily this one can be applied using any tool that does the job.